Attachment for plow-stocks.



R. G. FULCHER 81!. STIRLING.

ATTACHMENT T0 PLOW STOCK.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 27. I914.

Patented May 22, 1917.

UNITED STATES. PATEN ()FFICE.

nor eonnoN FULCHER. AND JOHN s'r nLINe, or cAnsoN, LouIsrANA.

ATTACHMENT TO rLow-srocKs.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 22, 1917.

Application filed November 27, 1914. Serial No. 874,336.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known. that we, ROY GoRDoN FuL- straight course, so that theplowman will not be under constant strain in making a straight furrow.Another important aim is to give such a device which, in addition tofacilitating the regulation of the depthof plowing at will, will'holdthe plow upright in proper position whether the plowfpoints be in or outof the ground. This is'of especial; advantage when the plow is not inservice, as it prevents the plow from falling over and damaging thehandles or other parts. Aside from the fact that the handles wouldbecome damaged and spoiled fromthe abrasion, breakage and contact withearth at times, it is a fact, that handles ofmany plows become rotted bylying upon their sides upon the ground for a lengthy period, as is oftennecessary with the ordinary construction of plow. I I

Our device has somewhat the function of a rudder, and byits use, it hasbeen'found possible to plow veryclose to bedded roads anddelicateplantswithout damage thereto, and with great ease, thesafety of this operationbeing greatly increased by the use of our invention. Furthermore,theplowman is not fatigued as much when using our inventionas when usingplows not so equipped, and in consequence, a larger amount of work maybedone, owing to the absence of causes which might otherwise occur,'in'addition to Y which the plow -may be driven at a more rapidrrate ofspeed, without I sacrifice of efficiency. V 1 I i In the drawingsforming a partpf 'this application, f i i l p Figure 1 is a side view ofaplow equipped with our invention, Fig.2 is a detail sectiononthefline'"22 ofFig. 1. A

Fig.3 is a cross section of the blade.

Fig. 1 illustrates the use of the device to support a plow not in use.

Fig. 5 is a detail of a modification of the blade element; I i t Fig. -6is a rear view of the structure shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 a detail of the blade shown in Fig. 1.

:Fig. .8 is a perspective view of the inven- 131011111 use.

In the present instance the attachment is shown applied to what is knownin the trade as the Georgia plow stock, although it will be readilyappreciated that the device is readily applicable to various other plowstocks. Thedrawing shows a simple beam 10 having the clevis 11 at theforward end, and handles 12 of ordinary form. attached to the rear endof the beam. A short distance forwardly of the point of attachment ofthehandles the plow stock 13 is mounted on the beam; This stockcomprises two light bars '14; having upper vertical portions securedagainst respective sides of the beam by means of bolts 15 engagedthrough the two bars, preferablynbove and below the beam, suitable wearplates 16 being interposed between'th'e' bolts and the upperand lowersurfaces of the beam.. The lower parts of the bars are curved forwardlyat a suitable angle for proper support for a plow. 'A shovel plow 17 isshown attached thereto inthe customary way.

' Engaged with the stock 18 a short distanceabove the plow there is anattaching yoke 1-8,including parallel arms 19 and 20 the front armshorter than the rear one between which one side of the stock isclamped,

as will be explained. The rear arm 19 is formed with a-threaded openingin which there is engaged the threaded forward end of the shank21 of ablade member 22, this threaded part being extended slidably through asuitable opening in the front arm 20 and engaged with a clamping nut 23outo wardly of the yoke, by which the ends of the arms of the yoke aredrawn slightlyinward toward each other. Theyoke is made, o fla, piece ofstrap steel having a width corresponding to or slightly less than thedistancebetween the bars 1 of the stock. The

end portions of this yoke are bent at right angles to the central part,leaving a space therebetween corresponding to the maqor transversedimension of the bars 1a, which dimension is in a plane nearly parallel;to

the beam 10. The arms 19 and 20 have a length greater than their width.Thus, by extending the arms longitudinally with respect to the bars 14while the yoke is presented therebetween, it may be readily adjustedwith the back portion 2a between the bars 14, and by a quarter turn ofthe yoke the arms may be engaged outwardly of respective edges of one ofthe bars, with the back portion resting snugly against the inner side ofthe opposite bar. This adjustment may be accomplished while the shank isengaged with the yoke. A nut 23 is screwed on the shank outwardly of theyoke, and screwed against the yoke to secure the device in place asindicated. The nut 23 is provided with a hand grip 25, by which itsmanipulation is facilitated, permitting the device to be tightened orloosened in the field without the use of tools. The blade asillustrated, in Figs. 1 to 3 is formed from suitable steel, and formedwith a lower sharpened rectilinear edge 26 extending obliquely withrespect to the shank 22, the rear part of the blade being projectedacross the axis of the shank a short distance. It is intended to engageand cut into earth behind the plow. The forward cutting edge portion isset some distance below the line of the shank, while the rear endthereof terminates above the axis of the shank when the device isadjusted in the position illus trated in Fig. 1. The blade is oblong, inpractice being made with a vertical dimension of about'three inches, anda length of five or six inches, although these dimensions are notarbitrary, and it may be found desirable to vary them to suit difierentrequire ments of use. The blade is formed with a flattened back edge 27and afiattened edge 28, the latter extending diagonally upwardly andforwardly from the rear end of the edge 26 to the back edge 27 in theposition shown in Figs. 1 and 7. It will be seen that by giving thedevice a half turn from the position described so as to present the edge28 downwardly, the edge 28 will have a relation to the horizontal corresponding to that of the edge 26 before the device is turned, but offsetsomewhat farther below the axis of the shank. The sharp edge 26 may alsobe adjusted to a higher or a lower level by rotating the shank in theyoke and nut at its forward end, the shank having a downward inclinationtoward the rear, by which this result is attained. The part of the stock13 with which the yoke is engaged is disposed at such inclination thatthe shank 22 in extending at right angles thereto will inclinedownwardly toward the rear at a sutiicient angle to bring the bladel;

into proper engagement with the soil in the);

furrow behind the plow, when in use; 0 engaged. in the surface when theplow 1 resting thereon. In some forms of the de- 7 vice the blade may beprovided with an extension 29 disposed at an angle to the back so thatit will extend downwardly when the back is adjusted at the lower side ofthe blade this extension oaeratin as a subshank 22 with consequentvariations in the curved forward part of the blade may be made to suitthe attachments to work with different plows or soils. It will be notedthat when the back of the blade is adjusted downwardly the tendency ofthe blade will be to ride higher in the soil, so that a heavier plow maybe supported, or a light plow caused to operate at a shallow depth.

In the use of the device, the engagement of the blade in the soil.serves to prevent abrupt lateral movements of the plow and per mits morepositive guidance thereof by reason of its great resistance to lateralmovement in the soil, affording a satisfactory fulcrum for lateralleverage exerted. through the handles. It is found that at the same timeit operates to regulate the depth of plowing uniformly, withoutliability of abrupt variations from the mean level or depth at which itis desired that the plow shall operate. It permits the plow to be raisedby downward pressure on the handles as customary, but requires much lessmovement than customary and also obviates the necessity for lifting theplow as ordinarily customary with shovel plows, which cannot be guidedin the same way as a plow with a land side.

By the construction presented, it will be seen that by loosening the nut25 the shank 21 may be rotated in the mounting as desired to presentvarious parts of the blade downwardly for engagement with the soil,alternatively. It is not necessary that the nuts 25 should be soloosened as to allow the yoke 18 to become loose upon the stock, andslight loosening of the nut will be sufficient to permit the shank ofthe blade to be turned as desired.

hat is claimed is:

1. A device of the class described comprising a blade, a threaded shankthereon, a supporting yoke having clamping arms constructed forengagement with a plow stock, said shank being slidably engaged throughone arm and threaded in the other, and a clamping nut on the shankoutwardly of the first mentioned arm of the yoke.

2. A device of the class described comprising a blade, a shank thereonextended diagonally from the blade, a support therefor, said shank beingrevoluble in the support on an axis inclined downwardly to the rear andmeans to adjust the shank longitudinally in the support.

3. A device of the class described comprising a blade member, a shank,means for attaching the shank to a plow for positioning of the blade asdescribed, said blade having a sharp lower edge for engagement in theground to guide and steady a plow in its forward movement against abruptlateral diversions and for supporting the plow in erect position, andhaving also flattened upper edges, said blade being revoluble forinversion at times, and means to secure the shank in adjusted positions.

4L. A device of the class described com prising a blade member, a shankextended, diagonally from the blade, said blade ex tending more beyondone side of the shank Copies of this patent may be obtained for than theother, means for attaching the shank revolubly to a plow on an inclinedaxis for positioning of the blade as described, said blade having asharp edge for ROY GORDON FULOHER. JOHN STIRLING.

Witnesses: I

THOMAS AULD OoXoN,

JAMES T. HARDING, HERBERT LEON VIsART.

five centseaeh, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatenta, Washington,D. C.

